Naughty Marietta

by Nan Ryan

  She sighed into his mouth when he filled his hands with the twin cheeks of her bottom and drew her up on tiptoe, urging her pelvis more fully into his. Her breasts were flattened against his solid chest and his heavy erection pulsed rhythmically against her bare belly.

  Marietta felt the muscles along the insides of her thighs begin to jump, felt her nipples tighten and sting with sensation.

  No matter how tightly Cole held her, no matter how close she got to him, she felt as if she could never get quite close enough. She adored being wrapped in his long, powerful arms, loved having him hold her, kiss her, thrill her.

  It was incredibly exciting to stand naked with Cole in the Longley barn while the edgy black stallion nickered behind them. She genuinely hoped that Cole would not immediately guide her to the blanket and lay her down. She wanted to stand, wanted to be free to rub her taut, yearning body against his tall, solid length and acquaint herself fully with every inch of his magnificent male physique.

  Cole had become a master at reading Marietta’s thoughts. He knew what she wanted without her saying a word. So for the next several minutes he continued to stand in the wedge of summer moonlight spilling in the barn door with his bare feet apart and his arms around Marietta. He happily allowed her to play and tease and tempt him with her soft, warm feminine curves.

  When she drew back a little, smiled up at him and firmly pushed on his chest, he immediately loosened his hold on her. And then laughed when she stepped out of his arms and danced around behind him. He went along with it when she slipped her hands around his waist and pressed herself flush against his back.

  Cole shuddered when she began brushing butterfly kisses up and down his spine. Her lips and tongue teased him and her long silky hair tickled his skin. Already painfully aroused, Cole’s hands balled into fists at his sides and he clenched his teeth.

  Marietta stopped kissing him, but she laid her hot cheek against his right shoulder and let her hands slide down his tight belly to enclose his surging tumescence. Cole stiffened involuntarily and inhaled sharply. His balled fists got tighter, his short nails digging into his palms. His eyes slipped closed in sweet agony.

  But he didn’t stop her or join in the fun.

  Cole stood there unmoving and allowed the curious Marietta to examine and caress and toy with him to her heart’s content. It was the strangest of sensations. He had to hand it to her, she never failed to surprise him. He had made love in just about every possible position known to man, but he had never done this. He had never stood bare-assed and unmoving while a beautiful naked woman made him her own personal plaything, driving him half out of his mind with her searching hands and voluptuous body.

  Cole exhaled heavily when finally Marietta had played enough, released him, reached out and turned him to face her. His breath labored, his heart pounding, Cole drew her into his arms and kissed her hotly, hungrily, wedging a knee between her legs.

  They continued to kiss and embrace while behind them the high-strung stallion kicked at his stall and whinnied his displeasure. The naked pair hardly heard the racket; they were too engrossed in each other.

  At some point—Marietta wasn’t sure when—Cole, never taking his lips from hers, walked her backward to where the blanket was spread on the hay. She felt the softness of its material beneath her bare feet. Then, in silent agreement, they sank to their knees and knelt there on the blanket, continuing to kiss. When at long last their lips separated, they fought for breath, their hearts racing.

  Both felt limp and at the same time full of coursing energy. Cole sat Marietta back a little, framed her face with his hands and said, “You told me I can love you any way I want.”

  “And I meant it,” she whispered. “Show me, Cole. Teach me how to please you.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, you please me,” he said, taking her upper arms and raising her back up onto her knees.

  Marietta’s head fell back when Cole abruptly released her and rose to his feet before her. His hand in her hair, he bent and brushed one last kiss to her open lips and said, “Stay on your knees, honey, but move them apart a little.”

  Marietta gave him a questioning look but complied. Cole stepped around and knelt directly behind her, his knees inside hers. He drew her back against him, urged her left arm up and hooked it behind his neck. He let his fingertips glide across her exposed underarm and she automatically shivered. He kissed her cheek and laid a hand on her lower stomach. He felt her belly contract.

  He moved his hand lower.

  The fire inside her leaped higher, became hotter. As she knelt on the blanket with her knees apart and Cole behind her, Marietta felt wet and open and vulnerable. She whispered Cole’s name and shuddered when she felt his long, lean fingers slip between her legs to touch and test her.

  “Oh, Cole, Cole,” she murmured as he caressed her, arousing her, readying her to take him.

  When he took his wet fingers from her, she knew instinctively what he wanted her to do next. Cole placed his guiding hands on her waist and Marietta fell forward onto her hands and knees.

  “Yes, that’s it, baby,” she heard Cole’s soft-spoken praise. “This is what I want, this is how I want to love you.”

  He spread the cheeks of her bottom and took her then, plunging his hard, heavy flesh into her from behind. Marietta gasped with shocked pleasure as he began the rhythmic driving thrusts deep within her.

  “Cole, Cole,” she murmured, her eyes closing in ecstasy.

  “I know, baby,” he groaned, kneeling behind her, his hands guiding her hips, his pelvis pounding and slapping against her bare buttocks.

  Marietta’s stiffened arms grew weak. She bent her elbows and sagged slowly forward until her cheek was resting on the spread blanket. She heard the stallion whinny and realized that she and Cole were behaving like animals in heat; mating in the barn in the very same way a stallion mounts a mare.

  It didn’t seem odd.

  She was so hot for Cole it seemed perfectly normal to have him make love to her this way. It was erotic and exciting and she didn’t care if it was right or wrong. Pleasure rippled through her and she realized that she had never felt so free and uninhibited in her life.

  Cole, groaning with pleasure, leaned over her and braced himself with open palms on either side of her. Marietta could feel his weight pressing on her back and she swooned when his hot, open lips brushed kisses to her shoulder.

  After several seconds in that position, Cole rose back up onto his knees, bringing Marietta with him. He then sat back on his heels and drew her down against him. Her soft bare bottom now rested on his hard thighs and his throbbing length was still buried deep within her.

  He slid his hands under her arms and caressed her breasts, his fingertips gently plucking and playing with the pebble-hard nipples. Marietta sighed, ground her hips aggressively against him and laid her head back on his shoulder. Her unbound hair fell into his face, brushing his cheek, drifting across his lips.

  “Is this what you wanted?” she whispered breathlessly, sensuously moving against him, her back arching, her breasts swaying.

  “Exactly,” he managed to say, pressing kisses to her tangled hair. “This and more, my darlin’. All of you. That’s what I want.”

  Marietta nodded and licked her dry lips. Then she began to pant when Cole again put his hand between her parted legs and touched that tiny button of wet, pulsing flesh where all her passion was located. She emitted a strangled cry of joy as Cole began to slowly, expertly caress her.

  At the touch of his fingers her pleasure instantly increased, became so intense she was immediately lost in another world. A world of eroticism where making love was all that really mattered.

  She loved this dreamlike world where pure lust was totally acceptable and burning passion was praised not censured. Here in this private paradise where sexual hunger was eagerly fed and an appetite for even more was rewarded, she could surrender to every human desire without fear or shame.

  The marvelous mate that d
welled within her in this sultry universe was a highly sexual male animal who could and would fulfill all her wanton desires. She wished that the two of them could stay here forever.

  Just as they were now.

  “Cole, Cole,” Marietta said his name on a sigh, glorying in the double delight of having his hand caressing her while his hard male flesh was inside her.

  If she was being swept away in a lovely atmosphere of ardor, Cole was just as lost in a world of unbridled desire. To be allowed to take this beautiful, flame-haired woman in this primitive manner was satisfying beyond his wildest dreams. He inhaled deeply and smelled the perspiration of their sexual excitement mingling with the scent of the hay beneath them.

  On his hard thighs, Marietta’s soft buttocks had begun to move with increasing quickness, her hot, wet warmth squeezing him tightly. It felt so good he encouraged her, telling her in very graphic terms what she was doing to him, how sweetly she was loving him.

  Marietta felt her release beginning and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She didn’t have to tell Cole. He knew. While she sobbed his name in near hysteria, Cole continued to thrust deeply, staying with her, giving her all she could take and more.

  She cried out when the shattering release swamped her, holding her suspended for several seconds in its awesome orgasmic power.

  At last she whimpered and fell forward while Cole desperately clung to her hips and continued to pump into her until his own climax came, causing him to shudder violently and groan her name.

  Cole collapsed tiredly atop Marietta.

  She lay on her stomach, panting for breath, her face damp with perspiration. Cole’s lean body covered hers, his weight partially supported on his forearms. Their hearts pounding, they lay unmoving, saying nothing. Each surprised by the new heights of ecstasy they had attained.

  At last Cole raised his head, kissed Marietta’s damp temple and moved off her. He stretched out on his back, folding his hands beneath his head. Marietta stayed on her stomach for another moment. Cole turned his head, looked at her and smiled. Her hair was a mess, tangled and flyaway and falling over her face. Her body was dewy with perspiration, pale shoulders and bare bottom glistening in the dim light.

  Never had she looked more beautiful.

  Marietta soon sat back on her heels, pushed her hair back behind her ears, looked down at Cole and said, “Texan, don’t ever do that to me again.” She laughed then, a delightful, musical sound, came down atop him and whispered in his ear, “At least not for an hour or so.”

  Twenty-Nine

  At breakfast the next morning, Cole surprised all three women when, as soon as he’d finished the last plate of Leslie’s fluffy flapjacks, he announced, “Ladies, if you’ll kindly excuse me, I have an errand to run.” He laid down his napkin and rose to his feet. He glanced at Marietta and said, “Shouldn’t be long.”

  “But I thought you wanted us to get an early start,” she said, frowning at him.

  “I do. But first I have to take care of something.”

  While the three women watched, Cole went out the back door, walked directly to the barn and stepped inside.

  Marietta exchanged questioning glances with Leslie. Leslie shrugged and shook her head. Marietta rose, hurried through the house and stepped out onto the front porch as Cole came around the house leading her saddled piebald mare. Arms crossed over her chest, she watched him climb up into the saddle and ride away. She was truly puzzled. Why was Cole riding her mare instead of the black? And where on earth was he going?

  “Help me with the dishes?” Leslie said from behind.

  “Oh. Yes, of course, I…I…do you have any idea where Cole is going?”

  “No, I really don’t,” Leslie said. She smiled and said, “Maybe he’ll tell us when he gets back.”

  Marietta made a face and reluctantly followed Leslie back inside. While the two young women did the breakfast dishes, Peggy sat at the kitchen table. She again talked about the old days, recalling when Keller and Cole were young boys, how close they had been. Marietta listened with interest, eager to learn all she could about Cole.

  Once the dishes had been washed, dried and put away, the trio moved into the sitting room, and Leslie, at her mother’s request, brought forth Keller’s last letter. Marietta could tell, by the way Mrs. Longley looked at the letter in Leslie’s hand, that it was precious to her.

  “Would you like to read the letter?” Leslie asked. “It’s about Cole as well as Keller.”

  “Yes, thank you. I would,” Marietta said.

  “Be careful,” Leslie cautioned. “Mother and I have read it so often, the paper is beginning to come apart along the folds.”

  Marietta nodded. She took the letter from the yellowed, blood-stained envelope, gingerly unfolded the one page missive, and began to read.

  July 17, 1864

  Dearest Ma and Leslie,

  I have been badly wounded. Our regimental surgeon, overwhelmed as he is, has spent a great deal of time and attention on me. Cole is at my side, taking all this down for me.

  He has promised to stay until the end. Ma, I shall not worry about you and little Leslie because Cole and I made a pact back in Weatherford: should only one of us survive, the survivor would take care of both families. God willing, Cole will look out for you. I know he will.

  Pray this terrible war will soon be over.

  Please do not be sad; I have had a happy life. I would not change a thing.

  Your loving son and brother,

  Keller Longley

  Brevet Captain C.S.A.

  Marietta, tears stinging her eyes, slowly lowered the letter and carefully refolded it. Handing it back to Leslie, she said simply, “Cole and Keller must have loved each other very much.”

  Peggy Longley nodded and said, “Keller died in Cole’s arms that very afternoon.”

  At a fast gallop, Cole rode back north to the sleepy village of Tascosa. Once he reached Main Street, he tied the mare to a hitching post, swung down out of the saddle and went directly to the Tascosa State Bank.

  Inside, he glanced at the teller’s cage. A young man stood behind the barred window. No one else was in the small lobby.

  Cole walked up to the teller, nodded and inquired, “The bank president?”

  “That would be Mr. Thomas McLeish, sir,” said the teller with a pleasant smile.

  “Where is McLeish?”

  “He’s in his office—” the teller indicated a door to his right “—but he’s with a customer and…wait, you can’t go in there.”

  Cole had already turned and was headed for the closed door. He didn’t knock. He opened the door and stepped inside.

  A customer sat across the desk from the stocky bank president. At the intrusion, Thomas McLeish looked up, frowned, lifted a short arm and began to shoo Cole out.

  “Sir, you will have to wait outside.”

  “No, this gentleman will have to wait outside,” Cole said. He took the customer’s arm, smiled at him and drew him to his feet. Cole reached for the man’s hat, put it on his head and ushered him out of the office, closing the door behind him.

  By now Thomas McLeish was on his feet and his fleshy face was flushing red. “See here, what is the meaning of this?”

  “Sit down,” Cole said. Incensed, the portly president continued to stand.

  “I said sit down,” Cole repeated in a tone that brooked no argument.

  Growing nervous now, McLeish sat back down. “What do you want? Who are you?”

  “I’m a good friend of Miss Leslie Longley’s,” Cole announced and sank into the mohair chair across the desk from McLeish. “Know her?”

  “Miss Longley?” said McLeish, anxiety showing in his eyes. “Why, yes. I…ah…she is such a nice young lady. I think the world of Miss Leslie and her dear mother.”

  Cole’s eyes narrowed. “Save your breath, you horny, hypocritical old bastard.”

  McLeish’s red face got redder still. He shook a short finger at Cole and said, “You can
not speak to me like that, young man!”

  “Yes, I can,” Cole said, disgusted by this middle-aged married man who had bullied and frightened Leslie. “How much do the Longleys owe on their outstanding mortgage with this bank?”

  “I…I am not exactly certain,” said McLeish, his voice going a little shrill, “I would have to—”

  “How much?” Cole slammed his fist down on the desk.

  McLeish jumped, eyes now round, but quickly replied, “Two hundred fifty dollars.”

  “Two hundred fifty,” Cole repeated. “Let’s see, we’ll deduct a hundred for the mare you stole from Leslie and—”

  “A hundred dollars! Be reasonable, that mare was old and slow. Not worth anywhere near a hundred dollars.”

  “It was to Leslie,” Cole said in a low, calm voice, his eyes as cold as steel. “I am deducting a hundred dollars for the mare.”

  “I sold that old nag for twenty dollars!” McLeish objected.

  As if he hadn’t spoken, Cole said, “Take a hundred from the two hundred fifty, that leaves a hundred fifty dollars, which I am paying you this morning. You in turn will give me a signed and dated receipt marked paid in full.”

  Thomas McLeish was squirming in his chair. Perspiration dotting his forehead and upper lip, he said, “I want no trouble, mister, but I cannot…I will not…”

  He fell silent when Cole abruptly leaned forward, placed both palms flat atop the desk and said in a deadly tone, “You can. You will. Not only that, if you ever again get within five miles of the Longley spread, I will come after you. Do you understand me?”

  “Y-yes, I…I…” McLeish was attempting to swallow, but having difficulty.

  “You asked who I am? I’m Cole Heflin. Name sound familiar? I’m the man who burned Hadleyville. That’s my likeness on that old Wanted poster hanging in the post office across the street. The one that offered a handsome reward for my capture.” McLeish’s eyes grew round with recognition and fear. Cole continued, “When Leslie Longley comes into town, you will run the other way as fast as your short legs will carry you. You so much as look at her or her speak to her and I’ll know about it. There’ll be no need for the telegraph, I will know. I’ll know and I’ll come back and tear your head off.”